Moors Academy 7 FC Stratford 1

Goal fest for young Moors - by Ronald Crane

Although the weather was cold, damp and miserable, there was still a disappointingly low attendance for this Boxing Day fixture. However, those who did pay their £4 were treated to a vintage second half performance by this young Moors side.

It all started so well. With just one minute on the clock Jordan Clarke made the byline and centred for Keziah Martin to hammer home the opener.

The crowd sat back expecting more goals. They did not come. Instead the Moors seemed to find the going hard. Had they taken their foot from the pedal? Were Stratford more determined? Who knows? What we do know is that although the Moors continued to create chances, they failed to take them. The visitors were gaining a foothold in the game.

Just after half an hour, disaster at the back for the home side. A long ball forward drew Biddle way out of his area, the ball was however controlled by the forward, the home defender beaten and Ashley Wilkes scored.

With the home side on top with regard to possession and territory, it was frustrating to turn around with the score one goal each.

Whatever was said in the home dressing room during the break, certainly had its effect. Right from the whistle, the Moors pressed for that second elusive goal. Jordan Clarke felt he had been brought down in the area. Penalty? No said Mr Thrower. It mattered not, for 10 minutes into the second period, Jordan Clarke opened his account, albeit with a wicked deflection. This goal seemed to break the visitors resolve.

Martin scored his second six minutes later. Jordan Clarke secured his second a few minutes after that, and his hat-trick not long after.

Martin’s hat-trick came in the 84th minute and substitute Campbell completed the rout with three minutes to go.

However you look at it, this was a convincing victory. It will have done the young Moors no harm at all, especially with in form Northfield Town visiting The Trevor Brown Memorial Ground this coming Saturday.